Shoe-lace fastener



C. SWANSON.

SHOE LACE FASTENER- APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28,1920.

1,363,693 Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

HOE-LACE FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latented Dec. 28, 1920.

Application filed. September 28, 1920. Serial No. 413,265.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Crninnns SwANsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Lace Fasteners, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to shoe lace fasteners and more particularly to a device to receive and hold the loose ends of a shoe lace in a manner that will obviate the necessity of tying a knot or how in the lace.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a small neat and ornamental device which will receive the ends of the lace after the shoe has been laced and which will grip the ends of the lace so that loosening will be prevented while the device itself will be held at the shoe top and add to the appearance of the shoe.

@ther objects of the invention will appear upon consideration of the following detail description and accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is an elevation of the back of the device,

Fig. 2 is an elevation with the back re moved showing the interior gripping means,

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the gripping elements open,

Fig. i is a front elevation, and

Fig. 5 is an edge view.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, a disk 1 forms the front of the device and is equipped with a diametrically extending cleat 2 which has its opposite longitudinal edges recessed to form opposite grooves 3 within which the ends of the shoe lace may be lodged. N ear one end of the cleat 2 and at opposite sides thereof, is a pair of segmental blocks 4. which may be mounted on the disk or formed of an integral part thereof. The portions of the blocks l adjacent the grooves 8 are similarly recessed to form the complementary grooves 5 thus providlng the openings 6 through which the laces may be extended. A back panel 7 is mounted upon the disk 1 and is secured by fastening members 8 so that the implement or device will have a neat and ornamental appearance. This back panel 7 is provided with a spring clip 9 to receive the extended loose ends of the shoe lace after it has been passed through the device.

in the space between the two disks 1 and 7 the gripping elements 10 are mounted, each of which consists of a curved arm pivoted on the member 11 and having one end extending toward the cleat 2 while the opposite end is curved to form the finger levers 12 adapted to swing into and out of the space between the disks. The end 13 of the gripping member has its terminal serrated so that it will firmly grip the shoe lace when it is pressed into operative position.

In use, the shoe laces will be laced to the shoe in the usual manner, and the ends will be placed on opposite sides of the cleat 2 by being passed through the openings 6 while the gripping members are in the position shown in Fig. 3. When the device is pushed firmly into engagement with the shoe and the ends of the laces drawn through the grooves, the gripping elements will be pressed into position as shown in Fig. 2 so that the serrated gripping portions of the levers will firmly grip the shoe laces. The surplus ends of the laces may then be folded or tucked into the spring clip 9 so that no loose ends will be dangling from the top of the shoe. Obviously any suitable design for the purposes of ornamentation may be mounted on the front panel of the disk.

Minor changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

W hat 1 claim is 1. The shoe lace fastener comprising a pair of disks, blocks mounted between the disks to space them apart, a central cleat extending diametrically between the disks and provided with longitudinal grooves, and gripping means pivotally mounted in the space between the disks and movable into and out of proximity to the grooves for cooperation with the latter to grip the shoe lace.

2. A shoe lace fastener comprising a pair of disks, segmental blocks arranged between the disks to secure the disks together and provide a space between portions of the disks, the adjacent edges of the said blocks being grooved, a central cleat provided With opposite grooves, and conforming to the shape of the grooves in the said blocks whereby each pair of grooves Will form an opening communicating with the space hetWecn the disks, and grippingelements pivotally mounted in the space between the disks and having gripping ends adapted to move into proximity to the grooves in the said cleat. V

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signaturerin the presence of two Witnesses. CHARLES SWANSON. Witnesses:

ANDREW J. BORRESEN, HARRY G. ALLEN. 

